It’s natural to take some time at a breaking point within the schedule and look back on the year that has transpired so far. If you would have told me in February that the Portland Timbers would be in the middle of the fight for the top spot in the MLS Western Conference while making history by appearing in the U.S. Open Cup semifinals while edging closer to MLS history with a 15 match unbeaten streak, I wouldn’t have believed you. While I had tremendous optimism that Coach Caleb Porter was the right hire for the team and he would achieve positive results. I really didn’t think it would happen quite so quickly or dramatically.

Then again, Porter has instilled some basic philosophies on his team from the very start to manage the game and themselves, and it’s worked like a charm. Matching up purposeful possession, timely adjustments to account for the cramped schedule, and quickly integrating new players brought into the lineup due to absences, injuries or otherwise, the Timbers haven’t lost a beat since their loss to Montreal back in March. I know fans are frustrated that some of the unbeaten results were draws that perhaps should have been wins, but at the same point, the team has overcome deficits at various points to salvage results in situations where previous Timbers clubs would have folded up the tent.

I looked over my player evaluations for the 2013 season up to now, just looking at league matches, and I came away with several observations.

Firstly, Porter had used a myriad of players up to this point, giving several players key minutes early on. While this points to the team’s overall depth, it also avoids the trappings of putting untested players into precarious spots later in the year because of a lengthy season. Porter has simply been masterful in managing minutes and expectations, and it shows in our list. I was also impressed with the overall mix of the scores, both by averages and ranges for players. While there were a few low marks, overall, the team has really performed exceptional and it’s been an overall team effort at that. While some players have been revelations and are definitely the key components behind the early success, I can say that Portland has had several different players contribute to their start. If you review the all competition statistics for the season, 16 different players have contributed a goal or an assist for Portland so far, echoing the overall balance of the club and how much everyone from 1 to 30 has been contributing to this incredible run.

First half grades:

• Forwards -- I’d give the forwards an overall grade of B+. Ryan Johnson has shown a tremendous presence on the pitch, and very few players outwork him when he’s patrolling for goals. However, Ryan has shown a great ability to pass off the outlet and give his teammates chances for goal. Frederic Piquionne has given the team a veteran influence, while Rodney Wallace has flourished in an attacking role similar to his work with Costa Rica. Darlington Nagbe has also begun to tap the immense amount of talent in his feet, and the Timbers are starting to witness exactly how special of a player he is. I would like to see Kalif Alhassan continue to improve, though. While he’s been impressive at points, he’s also been prone to disinterested performances as well.

• Midfielders -- The midfield has been revitalized with the new arrivals, and I’d have to give them an A- so far. Diego Valeri possesses incredible creativity and flair on the pitch, and he’s actually shown improvement when called upon to defend. Will Johnson and Diego Chara have been the unsung leaders of the middle, however. Chara has blossomed since being moved to more of a wide midfield role with defensive responsibilities, and I can’t begin to count how many times he has contributed positively to the Timbers offense with a turnover or key pass. Will is simply the emotional leader of this team, but he’s also shown an ability to hit the key goal or pass when needed. I won’t forget about his penalty kick in Vancouver when he told the pro-Whitecaps crowd to hush up after converting the kick. Yes, Will is Canadian, but on that day, he was all Timbers. I also like the contributions of Ben Zemanski, who shows great versatility in his roles for the team, but he seems to have settled in nicely as a backup in central midfield.

• Defenders -- The Timbers defense earns an A-, which is quite an accomplishment considering the various injuries that have affected this group. Michael Harrington has solidified the defensive wings nicely on the left, but the defense really stepped up big when Jack Jewsbury moved to the right back role. I’m worried a bit about depth there, although Ryan Miller has stepped up extremely well because of Harrington’s injury. Center back has been a tough position for the Timbers all season, but every player they’ve plugged in has done well for certain stretches. Right now, I’d take the trio of Futty Danso, Andrew Jean-Baptiste and Pa Modou Kah to match up against most forwards lines in any situation, as they’re simply playing some exceptional soccer right now.

• Goalkeepers -- An overall grade of A+ for a group that had serious questions surrounding them during the offseason. Donovan Ricketts overcame a slow start in the beginning of the season to post eight shutouts so far this year, when there were plenty of questions whether he could be the starter for this team. When Ricketts was away, Milos Kocic has been outstanding filling in, which has answered the question about who really is the backup on the team. Unfortunately, Jake Gleeson has a tremendous amount of skill available, but he’s been unable to stay healthy for most of the season, so having Kocic and Ricketts available has been important for the Timbers.

• Coaching staff -- A+ for Porter and his staff. Porter has managed all the expectations incredibly, and every move he’s made has turned out positive – whether it’s lineup adjustments, changes in formation, or otherwise. I also believe that each of his assistants have contributed something to the overall results – Porter has given Cameron Knowles and Amos Magee credit for work on set piece offense, while Sean McAuley has been credited for several key adjustments during matches. Mike Toshack has also continued his good work with the goalkeepers, putting Portland near the top of the league for goalkeeping statistics. I also have to give some credit to the Technical Staff for working with Porter to get the various players needed to fortify the bench yet fit Porter’s offensive system.